Prior art devices exist that attempt to introduce cleaning agents into washing machines in many different ways. U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,554 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,494, each require the user to physically place agents in reservoirs each time a wash load is introduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,757 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,259, each teach methods for introducing only granular chemicals. U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,676 teaches a method for introducing only fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,618 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,385 each teach a method to introduce the required agents, but they require the use of pumps and sophisticated electronic components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,404 teaches a gravity feed fluid dispensing system which includes a bottle that is engageable with a dispenser assembly. The dispenser assembly includes a diluting chamber which receives diluting fluid. When the bottle is engaged with the dispenser assembly, a valve is actuated in the mouth of the bottle which opens to allow the fluid in the bottle to gravity feed into the dispenser assembly and into the diluting chamber at a predetermined steady rate. A diluting valve controls the flow of diluting fluid to the diluting chamber by means of a switch that shifts the diluting valve to the open position in response to the bottle being engaged with the dispenser assembly. Thus, the invention of the '404 patent can only allow a steady, predetermined flow of liquid to be constantly dispensed and mixed with diluting fluid, and the dispensing continues until the bottle is empty.
The present invention teaches a simple, versatile, low cost method of dispensing cleaning agents into a washing machine in a simple manner that no prior art has so fully accomplished. The present invention eliminates the need to manually put cleaning agents into the wash before each cycle by supplying a ready reserve of agents that are automatically dispensed, thus reducing the workload of the user. The present invention allows the introduction of either fluid or granular materials in a simple and efficient manner.